listen for
idiom
: to pay attention to sounds in order to hear (something expected)
We listened for (the sound of) his footsteps.
We saw lightning and listened for the thunder.
Examples of listen for in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Leaders who learn to listen for what is not being said gain access to their most valuable resource.
—
Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
Local canyons, large parks with tall trees and open woodland natural areas are good places to go during this courtship period to listen for the hooting of the great horned owl.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Just listen for Mariah Carey or Vanessa Carlton.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for listen for
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Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 20 Jan. 2026
Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 4 Jan. 2026
Local canyons, large parks with tall trees and open woodland natural areas are good places to go during this courtship period to listen for the hooting of the great horned owl.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Just listen for Mariah Carey or Vanessa Carlton.
—Jared Weiss, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for listen for
Cite this Entry
“Listen for.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/listen%20for. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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